Biscuit bake-off

BISCUIT BAKE-OFF — Union City’s Vanessia Gaskins, also known as “Nana the Dough Lady,” measured her buttermilk and other ingredients as she joined 11 other biscuit bakers representing six different McDonald’s restaurant locations to compete in the McWorth Management McDonald’s Biscuit Bake Off contest. Winners from preliminary rounds competed for the championship title in Paris. This year, the two finalists happened to be the same two finalists from last year’s competition, making the competition “fierce and heated,” according to company officials. Bakers were judged on procedures, appearance, showmanship, biscuit height, texture and, of course, taste. Competition organizers said both contestants “gave it their all and helped create excitement with their costumes and table settings.” Ms. Gaskins, representing the McDonald’s in Union City, baked biscuits dressed as her alter ego “Nana the Dough Lady” and decorated her table with her grandmother’s china. She said she entered the contest in honor of her grandmother, whom she believes made the best biscuits in the world. Organizers said the other finalist, Janet Erikson, representing the McDonald’s in Paris, may have been dressed like a clown but her biscuits were no laughing matter. She edged out the competition by only a few points — for the second consecutive year — to retain her title and again be named “Best Biscuit Baker.” “Baking biscuits from scratch is something rather unique to my McDonald’s restaurants,” said Bob Kenworthy, owner/operator. “The ready-bake biscuits are good, but there is nothing like a biscuit made from scratch, to melt in your mouth in the mornings. I am very lucky to have a group of dedicated bakers in my restaurants coming in each morning to bake biscuits from scratch for our customers.”